The Kind Ballet Dancer
by Directionless Angel
Summary: When a human child falls into the Underground, it becomes their life's mission to dance their way into everyone's hearts. As the world revolves, destiny leads them through each step. Or is it something else entirely? Dancetale AU.
1. Chapter 1

Every once in a while, the universe is thrown into chaos by something or the other. Usually it's the one something that sets this reality into motion every time. Change is a part of the cycle, and this particular change shouldn't be that jarring.

Fallen from above, a little child lays on a spot of ground illuminated by daylight. They're still unconcious, but green blades of grass and pointed leaves float and dance about them with no care. They cast playful, tiny shadows before landing into nests of their siblings.

"It sounds like it came from over here..." sounds a child's voice in the cave, followed by hasted footsteps.

The young boss monster stops upon the sight of the child on the ground, worry widening their already large eyes.

"Oh! You've fallen down, haven't you..." the monster continues, taking a concerned glance up.

Asriel kneels by the other child and gently turns them onto their back, cradling their head in the crook of one arm. The child's features twitch, and their eyes crack open.

"Are you okay?" the goat monster squeaks. For a while, the other child only stares at him. Then, something seems to align in their mind and their eyes blow wide in shock.

They gasp and scramble a bit back, away from Asriel's grasp, then stare at him. Asriel stares back, just as bewildered.

"S-sorry!" he says quickly, voice a little higher than intended. Then he gets up, steps closer, and hesitantly extends his hand down. "Here, get up..."

The child with brown hair and a blue shirt simply keeps staring for an extended moment. That makes Asriel a little nervous, and he almost pulls his hand back before a wave of determination helps him through the hesitation. No, this person needs his help.

After another ten heartbeats, suddenly, the child's expression scrunches up. It's no longer confused, it's...

A sob breaks through the air as the child's hands shoot up to their face, hiding the tears and the embarrasment painted all over. Asriel flinches, shocked by the sudden change in temperament.

"Hey! Are you..." But he pauses. No, no they are _not_ okay. Even a child can tell that.

For a moment, Asriel uselessly wrings his hands together. Then, he kneels down next to the other child and wraps his fluffy arms around them.

Unexpectedly, they fall into his embrace and hug him back tightly. The sobbing still doesn't stop, but Asriel doesn't mind. He's just happy they're accepting his comfort.

"What's your name?" he asks after a while, when their sobs have diminished into quiet little sniffles. It takes some time for them to respond.

"Frisk," they inform in a small voice. Asriel smiles a little at that, glad to hear them speak.

"Frisk, huh?" he hums, gently patting at their back. "That's a nice name."

A comfortable silence takes place as Frisk calms their breathing. At this point, they're melting into the goat monster's radiating warmth.

"My name is Asriel."

In that moment, the human feels something inside them that they've never felt before. A strange warmth, but at the same time, a strange call. A longing for someone or something. The feeling is so strong it makes them pull away from Asriel's hug, though they sniff one more time as they do, then wipe the last of the tears from their eyes.

When they gaze at the goat-like creature's face, they recognize what that longing is for. Something deep inside them is speaking to them in a soft melody, telling them to _dance_ with Asriel. They can't help but blink as confusion makes its way back onto the canvas that is their face.

Because of that urge, they slowly spin their head as if in search of something specific. Then they see the pair of ballet shoes lying about, just in their reach. Sighing out of unexpected relief, they reach out and grasp them into their waiting hands.

"Ah! Would you like to dance?" Asriel suddenly beams and climbs back onto their feet. Frisk hesitates a moment as they view his smile, but a moment later, give him a happy nod.

Seeming even brighter in mood than a moment ago, the monster extends his hand to Frisk for the second time. And this time, the human takes it, shakily climbing to their feet. As soon as they do, they take a step closer to one of the long support beams inside the cave and lean their back to it.

Frisk slips out of their simple black boots and slides on the ballet shoes instead. They tie the strings over the blue pant legs, making sure the extra fabric won't be hindering their movements. All the while Asriel waits patiently, though undeniably a bit giddy with excitement.

Once the binds on Frisk's shoes are secure, they tiptoe forward from the pillar enough to have an arm's lenght in between. They meet eyes with Asriel, who sets into a starting pose, one foot gliding before the other. He leads with his right.

"Ready?" he then asks, gleeful in his tone. Frisk smiles and nods again.

As they both ease and relax into their poses, on cue, a soft note of music is quickly followed by others, and they start to fill the air. Something resonating deep within the human awakens, growing louder by each delicate note. As the sound of their soul climbs high up, it starts to mingle with another, a melody that almost sounds like it's made to mold together with theirs.

Both children look at each other in surprise. And then they share another smile, and they both _feel_ it. They feel a resonance in the respective cores of their being. When Frisk looks down at their chest and sees a bright red heart glowing at the center, it feels so right they don't even question it.

On the next beat, both of them start their dance.

Frisk bounces into a graceful ballet hop and twirl, arms extended to their sides. Asriel responds by stepping in the opposite direction, the leap long and measured as he leans back in a slight waltz tip.

Their music keeps playing in harmony, and with a small exhale from both, they take their next steps with more confidence. Asriel's hands find a place on his chest and behind his back as he sways farther to the side, his core keeping him in form. Frisk tiptoes closer to the center, where a beam of light from above meets the grass below their feet. For the moment, they both simply focus on their own movements.

And then in the next moment, both twirl toward the center and meet face-to-face. They suck in startled breaths and have to stop into their poses. It doesn't take long for them to break into giggles at each other's serious expressions.

Asriel takes a step back along the beat, then bows deep and extends one of his hands toward Frisk. They smile softly and fall into a partial plie, bowing back as they accept the hand, laying their own on top of it, gentle.

The monster lifts his gaze to beam at Frisk again, and they simply can't stop smiling.

Frisk is pulled closer to the monster again, and their hands are raised to catch each other before they collide. One of Frisk's feet is slightly raised off the ground behind them, while Asriel is slowly dragging one of his own beside the other as he rearranges their hands.

When they're holding each other like waltz partners, Asriel takes the lead on the next beat in their intermingled songs. He pulls Frisk along with him across the room, and the latter keeps their ballet form even as Asriel's song starts to dominate the air. They melt into the music like they'd just melted into his arms before, and it luls their eyes shut.

The waltz continues for a while, and they keep gliding from one end of the room to another until they reach the center again. That's when Frisk starts to weigh into their steps again and stops Asriel with a light pull. He only raises his brows and allows one of Frisk's hands free when they tug it away, then extend their body to the opposite direction from their dance partner. Asriel holds their weight well and allows Frisk all the room they need.

Frisk straightens and twirls back up-close to the other child, then giggles as they pull their other hand free and hop past him. They do a smooth turn and extend into a pose, then look at Asriel over their shoulder. Their melody is tipped into Frisk's soul song, but soon becomes a mix of both once more.

Asriel takes the opportunity and does a few twirls himself, a bit reminiscent of ballet, to return the favor for having led the dance before. When he comes back from the twirls, though, he settles back into a waltz pose.

Another beat, and the dancers circle each other with their own unique styles, remaining at the edges of light as they do. When they've done about a half circle of slow and careful steps, small specks of heat start to form in the air. That heat is followed by tiny flickers of light, and that light starts to draw Frisk's gaze toward each individual spot.

Asriel shows a reassuring expression when their eyes meet again. They finish the circle with their light-stepped movements and the spots of light erupt into small but bright flames. The human's eyes widen as they watch them burn, circling them like tiny waxless candles and illuminating a piece of their surroundings wherever they go.

It doesn't take long for Frisk to put together that the flames are a result of this dance – specifically, Asriel's dance. The warmth they can feel from the flames is exactly the same comforting feeling they're getting from their encounter. And that... Doesn't feel strange at all, either. It still feels like nothing but _right_.

Their heart pounding from the beautiful show around them, Frisk hops into the center of sunlight again and starts to twirl. They do it over and over again, face raising slowly toward the hidden sky along with their arms. When they're finally done, they shut their eyes and allow themselves to fall backwards, unafraid.

Asriel catches them, though shows a bit of a nervous expression as they do. Frisk doesn't even open their eyes, simply smiles, content and safe. The monster feels encouraged by this and pulls Frisk up from the dip, then grasps their hand before they can dance out of reach again.

He pulls them back into a waltz hold, which they fall into like a puzzle piece now that they know how, and the dance carries on along with the echo of their souls. The flames seem to grow brighter with each step, with each new tip and twirl, with each hop and plie.

When it feels like the song is finally coming to an end, they both feel like they've been dancing for hours. On the final notes, they've parted once again, both out of their little spotlight. They meet eyes as a few flames travel past their faces and it's like a thought is exchanged in that moment.

Both take quick, gliding steps toward the middle as the song builds to its climax, and when they meet, Asriel grasps Frisk by their hips and raises them up toward the ceiling. He uses the momentum of their meeting to make a slow spin as Frisk poses with their arms elegantly extended and their middle holding taut like a proper ballet dancer's. In that moment, they feel like they're flying.

The song ends when Asriel lowers the other child to the ground, and they both halt into their poses. After a soundless beat, they each take a step back and bow, respectful of their styles.

A few breaths are taken as silence settles over and the flames in the air flicker, then dissipate. Once they feel like the dance is truly over, and Frisk's soul no longer shows through their torso, they stand up straight.

Upon meeting each other's exhausted faces, they burst into giggles all over again.

It takes at least a half a minute for them to calm down enough to speak.

"I didn't know I could dance that well..." Frisk admits bashfully. Asriel nods back, his smile wide.

"I guess humans are just naturals at it," he comments playfully, wanting to praise the other more. That seems to serve its purpose, as Frisk is now beaming much like Asriel before.

He draws one more deep breath, then continues:

"Come on, I'll take you to my house!" he promises happily and waves for Frisk to follow. When the human nods, he takes initiative and excitedly runs ahead.

Frisk is still breathing heavily as they start to follow, but a moment later bring themselves into a halt. They turn back toward the cave, eyes roaming over the grass, the pillars, the walls... Eventually, their gaze lands onto the hole far above. They blink in surprise at how very high it actually is.

They shake their head mutely, then look down at the grass, where they see their boots laid neatly to the side. They take a step forward, intending to collect them, when–

" _Come on! My parents will be so happy to meet you,"_ Asriel's voice calls out to them, and they stop. They look between the opening, where they know the other child has disappeared, and their boots. Eventually, they lower their gaze to their feet, still enveloped by their ballet shoes.

They smile upon the realization that, no, they won't ever need another kind of shoe ever again.

And with that thought in mind, the black boots are abandoned in the room nourished by a sliver of daylight.

* * *

 _[A/N] Started that Dancetale fic I was talking about. Sit tight, the ride is about to begin! And leave a review for me?_


	2. Chapter 2

Through the darkness of this underground world, soft notes and whispers of strange melodies can be heard all around. Yet at the same time, every time you start to focus on a song that calls to your soul, it fades out as if it was never there.

Asriel navigates through the darkness even as daylight disappears far behind them. Frisk is not too far behind, ballet shoes tapping against grass and stone. There's a wet scent of mossy rock in the air.

The children slow down as they approach a gate framed by purple pillars. It has no doors, so when Frisk lowers their gaze from the ancient structure, they see a faint light up ahead.

"This way," Asriel instructs with a wave of his hand, then hurries through the gate.

Frisk only takes a moment longer to roam their gaze over the structure, and they can see it's been forged with care, even in the darkness. Then they skip through the opening and make an awkward run after the monster due to their ballet shoes.

As they get closer to the once distant light, their surroundings become easier to see. Frisk slows their pace into a walk even if Asriel is ahead.

The stone walls are covered in green vines and moss. The floor has been carved into a stone path with a flat surface. Some of the rocks are a little darker, and the moss extends over the edges and across the cracks, like it hasn't been cleaned in ages.

It turns out the light is a white lantern hanging from the ceiling above. They stop to gaze at the delicate metal work with its elegant little curves, and the windows with a criss-cross pattern on the glass. Inside the lantern is something purple and glowing, but it's difficult to make out what it is, since the lantern is high enough for Frisk not to reach.

Since it almost looks like the source of light is floating, the young human's eyes climb higher. The ceiling is covered in a pitch black darkness, but in between said darkness and the light trapped inside the small contraption, something glimmers ever so often. A colorless thread of some type.

They squint at the thread a moment longer, but seeing nothing new, their eyes eventually drop back down. There's another gate in front of them, pillars either decorating the area or supporting the structure of the cave, and a metal plate nailed into the wall left of the door.

As they rise onto their toes and take the first small hop toward the plate, Asriel's voice calls to them from up ahead again:

"Come on, Frisk! You're being a slowpoke." The monster's chuckles echo back to Frisk and they can't help a smile themselves.

"Coming!" they call back lightly, then deliver on their word and step through the doorway.

As they enter a new batch of caves, they can see Asriel waiting up ahead. Frisk is quicker to take in the sight around them this time. Pillars continue by the purple stone walls and more vines tangle with each other as they climb toward the ceiling. More lanterns flow down with that glinting thread, and now that they can see more of it, it's starting to look a lot like spider webbing.

The thread isn't only hanging the lanterns, it also climbs up the pillars and hugs some of the vines, making the whole room shimmer. The sight brings about a wondrous expression, and Frisk's eyes are still on it even as they reach their companion.

Asriel leads them ahead and there's sounds of a stream. They're getting close to some kind of water source. The air is getting damper and it causes Frisk to swallow involuntarily.

They carry on through more caves and hallways, but the sights don't vary much from the rooms at the start. The only difference so far is when they cross a river that runs across a hollow on the rock below their feet. There's a wooden bridge there, old and worn, and it creaks as they tread it with soft steps.

Occasionally, Frisk sees another metal plate on the wall. They can make out there's some kind of writing on the plates, but they're mostly covered by the thick vines and it'd be a bother to try and clear them off. Besides, Asriel is adamant on getting back home quickly.

It's a strange world they've landed in. A world that has been living right below their feet as they've danced their days away. A world that, perhaps... Frisk could be a part of.

.

When the two children finally come across Asriel's parents, the king and queen are nothing short of shocked at seeing Frisk. Toriel inhales sharply and covers her mouth with both hands, eyes blown wide. Asgore's brow furrows and his face flicks between surprise and concern.

Asriel simply tugs at their clothes and babbles on about the friend he's made. Frisk seems oh-so-happy to indulge him, and the two actually break into a new dance right then and there. The parents try to intercept them, to get a word in, to broach the subject of what is going on _somehow_ , but...

When the children's soul songs start to play in such beautiful harmony, Toriel finds herself gasping again. Asgore is first to soften to the sight of them, and when he places his hands gently on his wife's shoulders and the couple's eyes meet, the queen reads his thoughts like they're actually spelled on his face.

There is no other route for them to take. Frisk is now a part of their family.

.

A few days have since passed. The fallen human has been adopted by the Kingdom of Monsters, as well as by the Dreemurrs.

The royal couple have made their way through caverns filled with soft lantern light, all the way to where Asriel has told them he found Frisk. They enter the space through the dark hallway, where the sound of dripping water echoes all around.

They can see why when they enter the cave. There's little light that enters the cave through the hole above, and with it, a steady and glimmering fall of a thin stream is making a puddle on the grass. Soon enough a roar of thunder booms over the walls, making the air vibrate.

"It looks like there is a storm outside," the queen states as she still gazes above. Her husband nods, looking still and solemn by her side.

"Do you remember how we used to love them?" he speaks, voice dripping with nostalgia. "We were not together at the time, of course, but..."

Toriel chuckles and lays a gentle swat on his upper arm.

"Let us not get too emotional over the past. Otherwise we will wallow in it all night," she reminds Asgore softly, although shares his longing for the Surface. Her hypocrisy becomes apparent when her gaze finds its way back to the storm above, and remains there.

They've both been whisked away by thoughts from lifetimes ago, but in time Toriel's comment sinks in with Asgore and he's brought back to reality. He shakes his head as he pulls his vision from the faint light and moves to admire the sight of his wife instead. She's beautiful as ever, white fur illuminated by blue, and the ghost-like wind brushes and moves the hem of her dress.

All he has to do is extend one of his paws toward Toriel to eventually get her attention. She blinks out of her thoughts and faces the king, seeing that his heavy cape has been pushed back to reveal the collared shirt and dress pants underneath.

"Dance? Now?" she asks with a teasing note to her tone. Her expression is soft, however, and it comes as no surprise when she reaches out to take Asgore's hand.

The larger monster pulls her close, his free hand resting at the small of her back. They've eased into the pose just like they've done hundreds of times before.

"A human has fallen in," Toriel states with more seriousness when their dance begins. Their soul songs play along with the sounds of rain, faint in the background as they focus on the simple steps. The pair is doing nothing fancy, simply satisfied in feeling the emotions from each other in a slow waltz square.

"Yes..." sighs Asgore. The weight of the issue pours into his song and brings an element of melancholy to their shared tune. "I did not imagine this day would come." Toriel shakes her head in similar disbelief.

"We can take care of this child and raise them as part of the monster kingdom, but..." Toriel trails off. Her scarlet eyes find the hole above once more. It looks so small from where they're standing. "What if another falls in?" she takes a breath and looks to Asgore, "What if six more were to fall in...?"

That induces an uncomfortable silence. Their combined song is reduced to wavering little notes. Confused sparks light up in the air above them, clumsily trailing up the sides of the falling stream of water.

"I do not believe another human will fall in. After all, one has only appeared after such a long time of isolation," Asgore concludes with a frown. Toriel considers this.

"We have been down here for what is starting to feel like an eternity, have we not?" she muses sadly. "Even if seven humans were to somehow enter the Underground, we have no guarantee they would be able to learn the spell to set us free. After all, magic does not come easily for them."

Asgore hums.

"We have no guarantee they would want to, either," he says honestly, which seems to set unease into Toriel's mind. She shakes her head firmly at that.

"No, we would show them kindness and they would understand," she argues with her famous stubborness. "Nobody wishes to be trapped in a series of dark caves forever... They would understand as much."

There's something in the king's eyes that makes Toriel's soul settle into unease again. She can feel it in a few warped notes that still fill the air, almost fading into their surroundings. She frowns in preparation to whatever her husband is about to say next.

"If a monster... Were to take hold of the souls–" he begins reluctantly, and the effect is immediate. Toriel stops the dance and pulls away from his hold. Their song comes into an unnatural halt and the little sparks above sizzle out of existence, some colliding into the water stream.

The queen folds her arms and faces away from the other boss monster, who looks regretful already.

"I can not believe you would even suggest such a thing, Asgore," she responds with her voice full of disappointment and the barest hint of contained rage. Asgore sheepishly rubs the back of his head and looks to the side.

"You are right. I am sorry for saying such things, Tori..." he sighs heavily, feeling rather ashamed with himself. "Even if we were discussing a likely scenario, I should not have brought that up."

Toriel hums at that, seemingly satisfied, but still avoids her husband's gaze. The tense moment stretches for a while until the air becomes sadder once more. The fresh smell of outdoor air reaches down to them and reminds them of the vast world outside.

The queen unfolds her arms and feels her shoulders sink. Then, a moment later, she seems to find her resolution again. Her hands turn into fists at her sides.

"We can not give up on our people," she says sternly and locks gazes with Asgore. He looks at her with lament, then nods. "We have to provide them with hope. To make them believe, that..." Once again, her gaze trails above. "That there is still a chance for happiness."

It's not much later that Asgore graces her with another considered response.

"Perhaps Frisk could still be the key to that," he starts. That earns him a sharp glare from Toriel, and he sinks slightly. "No harm will come to them, I will make sure of it! But... If we were to teach a human magic, perhaps they could..."

The queen picks up on his train of thought.

"Yes, you are right. Frisk... They have a powerful soul. With its power, they could become a brilliant mage," she muses, eyes on the floor. Then she looks to Asgore again, still stern with her position. "But _only_ if they wish so."

He nods at her and allows a small smile on his face.

"I can amend you that," he says, though there is some irresolution in his eyes. Toriel can understand why. As she's just said, a great responsibility lies on their shoulders. But to her, the health of her children is much more important, adopted or not.

"We should return to the castle. There is only so much time the monarch of his kingdom can rest, no?" she says then, her tone just a bit lighter now that they've arrived at a solution. Asgore nods at her, then offers his arm.

They exit the cave side by side, casting final glances up. The rain is slowing down, as is the drip of water. It seems the storm is coming to an end.

Yet, it feels as if their struggles are only about to begin.

* * *

 _[A/N] Leave a review!_

 _rycorop: Glad to hear it! This is my favorite AU, but it's difficult to portray through text. I'll be doing my best, though!_


	3. Chapter 3

Asriel and Frisk are stood by a black metal fence that looks over the burning lakes of Hotland. It's on an elevated platform, from which a rocky staircase leads down and connects with the rest of the land.

True to its name, this area of the Underground is _hot_ , almost suffocatingly so. It's a crater of the extinct volcano they're situated in, and only the most heat-prone monsters like to live here. The human and boss monster are careful not to touch the fence molded into curves before them, as it would certainly leave a mark on at least Frisk. Asriel is much less sensitive to the burn, but feels it nevertheless.

"That's called the CORE," Asriel says as he points at the large, unfinished construction that takes up most of their view. Many workers can be seen moving large beams across the levels, or shouting at each other from a distance. Their words don't quite carry over to the two children.

"The CORE?" questions Frisk without taking their eyes off it. They can see a group of spiders yanking up boxes with their webbing inside. Asriel nods in response.

"It's supposed to provide the whole Underground with electricity when it's done. Dad says it will be another year before that, though," the prince tells, then looks over the sight a little longer.

Soon enough, though, he passes his adoptive sibling from their right and starts jogging down the stairs. Their gaze follows him a second later.

"Where are we going?" asks Frisk as they pursue Asriel's route by going down the stairs and onto the next platform. The latter stops to face them, looking sheepish.

"Doctor Gaster might be on the site. I know he'd love to meet a human, and you're going to meet everyone eventually, anyway! So..." the monster explains with something like hesitance, eyes away from Frisk.

They think on it a moment, then nod. The corners of their mouth are pulled into a smile.

"Really? Great! But, um..." Asriel starts excitedly, then retreats more into his shell and wrings his hands together. "Don't be scared of him, okay? He can be a little weird, but he means well... I think." The last part is more of an afterthought.

"Okay," confirms the human with a firmer nod, now expectant. They look toward the CORE, then pass Asriel to get going to it. "Come on."

The monster nods back, smiling as well as he catches up with his sibling.

Unlike Snowdin and the Ruins, Hotland doesn't particularly require any lights or lanterns. The lava far below illuminates their way well, so little of any other light sources can be seen anywhere. The paths are of smooth rock and, with bare feet, sometimes uncomfortable to walk on. That doesn't seem to bother Asriel, Frisk notes in passing.

The noises of the construction site get louder the closer they get. The mouth of the path that takes to it is lined with a metal gate, and two Royal Guards stand watch in front of it.

One of the guards drops the helve of their long axe in front of the gate when the two kids start to get close.

"No children near the construction site. Not even you, Your Highness," the guard drawls as he stares the pair down through the opening of his helmet. The other guard clanks their hand into the former's armor, then makes stern eye contact with him. The first guard lowers his gaze to Frisk in realization. "Nor you, the-other-Your-Highness."

The second guard softly shakes their head in exasperation.

"That's fine! We just wanted to know if Doctor Gaster is around," Asriel waves it off and exchanges looks with Frisk, who then nods as confirmation.

"Did you see him come in this morning?" asks the second guard from his colleague, and by his voice, he also seems to be male. It's a bit difficult to tell anything about the guards or their appearance due to the armor. Sure, the metal is only spread out into the most critical areas of their bodies, and it doesn't look very thick, but it still obscures their silhouettes greatly. Underneath the plates of armor are dark suits flexible enough for free movement.

"Oh, yeah. I think so," the other guard responds after a moment of thought, then turns to the kids. "I can go ask him here, but the doc doesn't like being bothered when he's working. You know that."

The second guard swats at him lightly again.

"He'll make time for the King's children," he corrects his peer, clearly frowning even if his face is mostly out of view. "'Sides, I'm pretty sure he'll be in the offices over there, anyway. There's no construction going on there, so I might as well escort the kids over."

The first guard is clearly about to comment something more when Asriel cuts in:

"Oh, could you? Please?" The plead is sincere enough for the first guard to take a doubtful glance at the other, who's giving him an impatient stare. The monster relents with a deep sigh.

"Okay, fine. But be careful, okay? We don't want to see you even _approaching_ the active construction," he tells the children sternly, "I'm only letting you in because I trust you to be good, Asriel."

Asriel nods vigorously as the other guard already fiddles with the keys to the gate. The human smiles widely and the first guard feels his resolve loosen.

"Alright, follow me. And if you try to run off, you'll have to face my striking dance moves!" the second guard warns when he's done opening the lock, then jumps into an animate charleston pose. The other snorts and rolls his eyes, long axe lifted back to his side and out of the way.

"Get going before _I_ take you up on your challenge there, buddy," he teases, causing the kids to giggle. They don't wait any longer than that to follow his colleague through the gate.

The offices are immediately to their left, while the construction site itself is another bridge away. The structure they're going toward is clearly a temporary one. It's not very decorative and each build looks like it'd be easy to take apart.

They reach the door easily, but Frisk still lags behind as they take in the sight farther ahead. Now that they're close, they're faced with how gigantic the building is going to be. It reaches up far above them, too, and with all the metal and large pipes, it looks kind of intimidating...

The human flinches out of their thoughts when they feel a tap on their shoulder.

"It's impressive, right? But hurry after your brother. I'm going to wait here until you're done chatting with Doc G," the guard behind them speaks, then pauses to reconsider something, "Uh, don't tell him I just called him that."

Frisk furrows their brows in bemusement, then enters the offices after Asriel.

They're greeted with an open area without a floor separate from the rock outside. This is one of the rare rooms Frisk has seen with a simple electric light on the ceiling. The walls seem thin and are a plastic-y blue in color. Yet, they're definitely not made out of plastic, as there's likelihood of it melting in Hotland without taking some precautions.

In the middle of the room there's a large table with two chairs on each side. Some papers and files are scattered over it, and on the left side of it from the door, someone is occupying one of the seats. A small monster is tilting his chair back a dangerous amount, the only thing holding it in place likely his feet folded on the table, over the papers.

What makes this feat impressive is the fact that he's asleep through this, or at least, he looks like he is. His eyes are closed and a blue hood is pulled over his head, and his arms are folded behind it as a pillow. The only thing that would suggest he's _not_ asleep are the earphone cords extending out from below the hood.

Asriel gets Frisk's attention by softly waving at them, then places a finger over his mouth to sign them to remain quiet. They think it's nice of their brother to let the other monster sleep... Even if they get the nagging feeling he should be working right now.

The boss monster waves them over, and they sneak into the hallway starting soon to the right. It's not long at all, and they stop at the second and last door in it. Asriel takes a deep breath in preparation, then knocks on it gently.

" _Yes?"_ replies a calm voice from the inside. Frisk sees their sibling's expression light up before they open the door. The children enter and close it right after them, careful to not make too much noise.

The office is larger than you'd expect with the rest of the building being on the smaller side, and there's another overhead light here. On the far left wall are two bookcases filled to the brim with books and files. On the right there is a window to the construction site, but wooden blinds are currently drawn over it. And right beside them on the window side, there are two simple chairs.

Their gazes have, however, immediately moved to the center of the room. A dark desk is taking up a lot of space, and there's a comfortable-looking swivel chair behind it. On that chair sits a tall-looking monster with a white labcoat over what looks to be a suit. Another coat is hanging behind him on the wall, that one black.

He lowers the blueprint he's been inspecting to meet eyes with the elder Dreemurr.

"Asriel. I did not expect your visit," the monster tells him in almost a monotone, and a slight grin slowly makes its way to the black crevice that is his mouth. His white eyelights make a sharp flick to Frisk. "And you brought your new sibling. _Frisk_ , was it, Your Highness?"

The human feels a little stiff in this monster's presence, but nods determinedly nevertheless.

"Doctor Gaster?" they confirm quietly, and the monster's smile widens further.

"Yes, indeed," he says, then sets his blueprint onto the desk and rises to his full height. As expected, the monster looking like something between a marionette and a skeleton is only a head shorter than Asgore. "It is nice to meet you."

He reaches over the table to offer a handshake, and Frisk looks at him in surprise before they reach back to perform it. It almost feels like they're being treated as an adult.

As they hold Gaster's hand for that brief moment, they notice it feels kind of strange under the thin satin glove. Like there's a hollow in the middle. They write it off as a monster quirk, though.

Gaster sits back down after the handshake is over. The smiling Asriel leans his palms against the edge of the desk. Despite this, their attention fully fixes on Frisk.

"Doctor Gaster is the one who designed the CORE! He's in charge of the whole ordeal," he tells excitedly, which makes Frisk raise their brows in surprise. Asriel seems satisfied with the reaction and turns back to said doctor, perhaps waiting for him to elaborate.

Gaster clears his throat and it almost looks like he's trying not to scoff in amusement.

"Are you here to simply get me to explain the details of my work to Frisk, my Prince? Because you could have well done it yourself," the monster chastises without any particular malice, then casts his eyes back to the blueprint. "Unless you have already forgotten everything I've taught you about it."

Asriel's face drops into mild disappointment and confusion.

"I thought you'd be more excited to meet a human..." he admits wryly, shoulders sinking.

Gaster raises his browline on one side, then gives a dubious look to the prince. His gaze moves to Frisk again and he seems to be considering their form a little longer this time. The human shifts under the gaze, smiling nervously.

"Yes, I am glad to have met them," he settles on after a while, then directs a soft glare toward Asriel, "but I am currently quite busy. There is a better time for this when I am not working on bringing a functional power system to the entire Underground."

Frisk tries not to frown at the comment, but they can't really dispute his point. Asriel looks down at his hands, clearly a touch guilty. Gaster sighs at the sight, then rolls up the blueprint and stands.

"Come on now, I'll escort you two out. I need to go oversee something on the site," he tells, shooing the kids with his free hand while holding the print in the other.

Reluctantly, Asriel leads his sibling out the door and Gaster shadows them through the hallway. They come to a stop when they enter the "lobby" however, and the scientist trailing behind them glares at the sleeping monster by the table.

His irritation is emphasized as he strides over to this monster, and to the surprise of his uninvited guests, slams the blueprint against the employee's chest _just_ hard enough to make the chair lose its balance.

"hey, what's– _AH_!"

The monster yelps in surprise when the back of the chair connects with the ground, accompanied by a loud bang. His eyes are blown wide as he still remains in the now disheveled sitting position, left hand gripping at the bottom of the chair tightly.

Upon further inspection, his "eyes" are more like Gaster's – eye sockets with little spots of light, which are currently darting about their surroundings until they land on Gaster.

" _really_. what's the big idea, g?" he questions in mild annoyance, but doesn't move from where he's lying down. He does move his hand from the bottom of the chair to pick up the paper over his chest, though.

"The 'big idea,'" Gaster starts with a frown and folds his arms, "is that you are electing to waste precious time instead of working." The smaller monster sighs in exasperation.

"geez, i was just takin' a break," he defends weakly, then raises the blueprint in his hand just enough to see what it is he's holding. He rolls his eyes then, and his gaze lands on Asriel and Frisk next. The kids are both still wearing nervous, bordering on bewildered expressions.

"hi, azzy. this your new sibling?" he winks at them as he speaks, still stubbornly remaining in his position that must be at least somewhat uncomfortable. Gaster keeps glaring at him, but the monster ignores him flawlessly.

"Y-yeah, hi, Sans. This is Frisk," the boss monster introduces them clumsily and tries for a smile. Frisk can only manage to look disordered despite their own efforts.

"Hello," they say in a bit of a higher voice than intended.

"heya," Sans repeats, then pauses to take off his earphones and tuck them into his hoodie pocket. "how're you liking the place so far? must be weird being the only human 'round."

"Well–"

As Frisk tries to go for a sentence of some sort, Sans pulls his feet back a little, and they fully expect him to tip over to the side and lift himself up from the floor with his hands. However, the apparent skeleton-monster simply tosses himself up into a standing position with only his back, hands never even making contact with the floor. The movement is incredibly smooth, and he's definitely making it look ten times easier than it is.

Nobody else but Frisk seems even a little surprised, so they carry on normally.

"I like it here," they finally finish, and a genuine smile manages to take form.

"i bet. it's pretty _note_ worthy that the underground has _groove_ ," he muses, and it only takes a moment's time for Frisk to realize that he's making puns. Gaster looks unimpressed, but the human is taken off guard and do snort at the jokes slightly. Asriel's smile has turned more relaxed.

"Get back to work, Sans. I am going off to take care of something. I expect you to have finished by the time I return," Gaster cuts in as he passes the other monster to head for the door. That only earns a bored glance from the skeleton.

"yeah, got it. today is a 'no-sense-of-humor' kinda day," he remarks, but if he manages to irritate Gaster further, it doesn't show. The taller monster simply smiles at the other in an almost mischievous way.

"Hmm, that's what you call your ministrations? Humor?" starts the tall scientist, then casts a brief look to the kids, his hand landing onto the door handle. "It is a good thing I have yet to fire you from your day job." Sans snorts at that, apparently amused, and slides his hands into his pocket.

"ouch," he only responds in mock-hurt, which earns a shrug from Gaster. The latter doesn't say anything more, simply escorts Asriel and Frisk out the door while the two wave their goodbyes to the young adult left behind.

The doctor shuts the door behind the small group, then notes the guard waiting by it.

"Perfect. Please lead Their Highnesses away from the working grounds," Gaster directs him, and the guard salutes him stiffly.

"Yes, Sir. I hope they weren't a bother," he responds, clearly timid due to the other monster's commanding presence. Gaster looks down at the pair once more.

"It is fine. But I have more work to get to now. Just take care of them," he instructs, waving it off. Then the doctor heads off to the direction of the CORE.

"Yes, Sir!" the guard repeats, then herds Frisk and Asriel to the gate. He earns no protest from them.

Once they're through the metal door and it's locked again, the guard rejoins his peer in watching over the entrance.

"So, how was your visit?" asks the guard with the long axe, having waited for their return. "The doc snap at you?"

Asriel shakes his head, but when he smiles, it's still a little wry.

"No... But you were right. He clearly didn't like that we interrupted his work," he admits, then sighs. "We'll just talk to him more another time."

"Hmm, well... Don't let him get to you. That guy takes his work a little too seriously."

Soon enough Asriel and Frisk part ways with the two guards, the last statement remaining on the human's mind for a minute as they walk. Then it joins in with the rest of their experience with Gaster. The silence stops soon after that.

"What Doctor Gaster is doing is really important for us," Asriel explains, though Frisk has already figured that out on their own. "We've only had a few water turbines before this and they make very little electricity for anyone to use. We learnt how to build them because of the stuff that floats into Waterfall..."

He comes into a pause with the explanation and looks thoughtful for a moment.

"Actually, wanna head over to the junkyard? There's a lot of cool stuff there, not just technology!" Asriel suddenly exclaims, excited by his own suggestion.

"Sure," Frisk agrees easily, as usual, but casts their eyes down and folds their hands behind their back. Their brother takes note of the behavior.

"Still thinking about Doctor Gaster?" he guesses and receives a nod in response. "He can be really serious, but he's also really great at what he does! Dad is going to make him the Royal Scientist if the CORE does what it's supposed to." Another nod, then:

"You admire him." Asriel jolts slightly, then smiles again.

"Yeah... You got me. I guess it's kind of obvious?" he amends, then gazes ahead at the slope before them. His train of thought seems to shift tracks in an instant. "The Riverperson's boat is right across here!"

He rushes off ahead of Frisk like he tends to, forcing the latter to pick up their speed after him, too.

"Wait up!" they call out, but Asriel only laughs in response.

* * *

 _[A/N] No dancing this chapter! Oops._ _Feel free to tell me your thoughts!_


	4. Chapter 4

Frisk tiptoes across the tiles, arms spread out as they lean their upper body to the right, rising slowly. When their back is straight again, they drop down to their heels and raise their hands up along with their gaze. Next they lower their hands to their chest, the movement a little quicker before they start to bend their knees. As they lower themselves, they slowly extend their arms back out to the sides, then make a quick but smooth turn of their head.

From their pose, Frisk suddenly does a leap forward and rises to their tiptoes again, then does a twirl and takes a half step back, leaning into a small bow. One of their arms moves behind them, while the other bends in half, palm by their face, to hold their balance. From this position they take a subtle look over their shoulder, and see that the stony edge of the water fountain is right behind them.

The ballet dancer straightens their pose, then takes another step back, slow so they can carefully lift themselves onto that edge. They dance on the narrow rim, their motions taut and calculated incase the surface turns out to be slippery.

There's no music that they're dancing to, nor is there anyone else around in the Royal Garden. Frisk has been dancing here ever since dinner, hopping from the round center of the tiled path to the narrow ones that extend around them like a spiderweb. Unlike in the Ruins, the paths here are cleaned regularly – there's no sign of dust or moss, only the polished, flat rocks.

Though Frisk has been living Underground for weeks now and has adapted to their surroundings well, there are still some very obvious points that separate them from the monsters. First and most notable of all, their dancing. To the human's dismay, they've noticed dancing doesn't come quite as naturally and fluidly to them when they don't have a monster as their partner.

That, besides the fact they happen to love dancing, is the reason they devote most of their free time to practising their steps over and over again. Music, no music, partner, no partner... If one is ever wondering where Frisk may be, well, it's difficult to know. But wherever they are, they're _dancing_. There is no question about that.

Now, with only the hum of the fountain as their music, the human slides across its round edge. Occasionally they hum about a note of a familiar song to accompany it, but other than that, the garden is quiet. The many colorful flowers in between all the paths are illuminated by blue light from the shining lanterns about the room. Like in the Ruins, they're hung by what Frisk now knows for certain are spider threads. They're positioned even more beautifully here, extending in gorgeous curly patterns between lanterns and from the walls. Some even create imagery of roses, crowns, the Delta Rune and the royal family.

Frisk follows the ledge of the water fountain until they're on the other side of it. Their eyes have momentarily fallen closed as they surrender themselves to the dance completely. They slide a step forward, arms up and in a gentle arch. They do a turn and bend their right leg up, hold, then lower it behind them and bend backwards just slightly. They bounce up from the position, lower their arms and open their eyes.

They frown. It kind of feels like they're... Forgetting something. They're not sure what.

It's then that they find their vision mildly obscured by something on their right. Automatically, they turn their head to see what it is.

A glimmering light on the stones just below the stairs to the castle. Its golden rays seem to move in an out as if commanded by a heartbeat. It doesn't seem like there's anything producing that kind of light, or anything it might glint off of.

Frisk carefully lowers themselves off the fountain and cautiously approaches the light. They keep their uncertain expression fixed on. The feeling of having forgotten something pushes further toward the forefront in their mind, but... They still can't figure out what they're forgetting.

The oddest thing about the light isn't how it makes Frisk feel. The oddest thing is that they've seen these light before. When they run across Waterfall on their brother's heels, through the windows of the castle during their lessons... But they've never seen one so close before. No one else seems to pay any attention to them, so they haven't minded them, but now... It feels as if the light is somehow trying to communicate.

And they're not afraid.

Soon the human stands right by the light. They take a sharp inhale at its presence. Their soul shines through their torso and it feels like it's beating in the same rhythm as the golden shimmer. It's eagerly beckoning them to dance, so that's exactly what Frisk does.

They bring one of their legs up and do a simple twirl, extend the leg back and lean forward. The light seems to rise up into the air ever so slightly, and it shines so bright everything around them is blinded into dark shades. Frisk watches in wonder. A moment later, they smile. The feeling of forgetting is fading into a pleasant hum at the back of their skull.

When they fall into their next move, a simple plie, they're startled by the sound of their own soul song. Their face expresses shock as it plays from their core and pulls at their body to move. They follow with a series of short steps, then sway back and forth once, their arms following elegantly. It feels so strange and so _true_ at the same time. They're finally confused by the feelings stirring inside them. Their soul song has _never_ played without another monster dancing with them, though perhaps that shouldn't feel as ominous as it does.

They cast their eyes to the golden light, which is no longer floating still, but rather following Frisk's lead. It dances around them in slow circles, occasionally altering its height and laying a stream of smaller sparkles after it. Their surroundings have turned completely black, like nothing has been there to begin with.

Frisk gasps when they do their next leap, then cut through the air with their leg. Their heart is racing, but despite their worry, they don't want to stop dancing. No, not now. It's almost like the light is challenging them, and they're determined to keep going.

That's when images start to flash through their mind and it looks as if their surroundings are changing. This time they don't panic quite as much, but they still take hasted looks around. Rocky walls. Pillars extending to the ceiling. Dark grass below their feet. A beam of yellow illuminating them like a spotlight.

They almost startle into a halt then, when they realize they're dancing in the very cave Asriel has found them in. The light is still there, moving with them, and their soul song is playing. Frisk takes a hesitant step back and their surroundings blur. The dancer furrows their brows and lifts their hand to their chest in almost a protective manner. Their soul thrums steadily and they glance down at its red glow.

They take a shaky inhale. Their instincts are now telling them what to do, but they're frightened to listen. Frisk fights over that fear, for they don't want to be here.

They rise onto their tiptoes again and cut through the air with one of their legs, to the opposite direction than before. Their surroundings blur once more and the beam of light from above dims. They take another steadying breath, then leap back. Frisk sways forth and back, takes a series of small steps backwards, and the blur simmers into pitch black darkness. The light is still resonating with them.

The ballet dancer falls into a plie, then rises to one foot and lifts the other behind them, leaning forward. They straighten and bend the leg to their side, knee out, then twirl, once again in the opposite direction from before.

When they come out of the pose, they notice they've held their eyes closed for a while. They open them and see they're back in the garden, breathing heavily. The golden light has lowered back to the ground below the short staircase. Their soul song has faded out.

Frisk swallows and falls out of their ballet form. They raise a hand up and over their chest as they stare at the light while taking a step back.

What is that? What is it that they've now done? Because even though they're no longer dancing and their soul isn't even in view, they still feel that strange resonance with the light. It makes them feel safe somehow, but at the same time, it worries them greatly. Should they have spoken to someone before dancing with the thing?

They're startled out of their thoughts by the soft click of a door opening. Their eyes flick up to whoever's entering the porch before the garden, at the top of those stairs. Frisk feels immediate relief wash over them when they see who it is.

"Father," they breathe. The fact that they get to refer to the King and Queen as their parents is still more surreal than anything else they've faced in the Underground.

Since it's late, Asgore has shed his cape and crown and is only dressed in his dark dress pants and violet dress shirt. He smiles widely upon the sight of Frisk, a gentle kindness in his expression that extends to his wife and son. They all radiate the air of safety and comfort.

"Hello there, Frisk," he greets softly and steps toward them. Frisk meets his smile with their own, then rushes up the stairs before he can get down and tackles him in a hug. Asgore only laughs at the gesture and gladly hugs the child back. His embrace is warm.

They pull apart a moment later and Asgore gestures for them to sit down on the stairs. Frisk obliges, hands folded over their knees as they're half turned toward their large parent. The king's form takes up a good chunk of the pathway.

"Were you out here dancing again?" Asgore questions and receives a happy nod. "That is nice to hear. We are glad you are taking to our culture so well."

"I love dancing," Frisk beams, which widens Asgore's smile further.

"That does explain a lot," he says almost teasingly. A tinge of seriousness makes its way onto his features and he pulls his eyes away from his child. He gazes over the garden which he ever so often visits to relax. Many of these flowers are planted by the monster himself.

"Is something wrong?" the human asks after a while and succesfully pulls Asgore out of his thoughts. He smiles back at them, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.

"Frisk, have you thought about what your mother and I spoke to you about?" he starts, shoulders sinking slightly. He seems tense. "Would you like to learn magic...? And, one day... Perhaps, help set monsterkind free."

Their eyes quickly drop to their lap. They haven't spoken about this in at least seven days, since they were told they may be the key to breaking the Barrier. They and six other humans, if as many ever fall down into these dungeons.

They've been taught about the war, about how humans locked all the monsters below this mountain long ago. So long, in fact, that nobody even thinks they still exist. It's crazy to think they could possibly save an entire people, especially since they're only a child. The responsibility of it all scares them, but at the same time, they don't even fully grasp it.

"What if I can't learn it...?" they ask without looking up. Asgore considers this for a moment before he lays a comforting paw on their shoulder.

"Magic is difficult for a human to learn, I will be honest about that," he says gently. Frisk faces him with a timid expression. "Unlike us monsters, you humans are not just an expression of your core. That is why you are so disconnected from it, from your souls. And within your soul is the source of your magic."

Frisk looks back down, discouraged. Asgore squeezes their shoulder and smiles.

"Human souls are also incredibly powerful. Yours especially. I have never seen anything quite like it," the monster hums, and the human flexes their fingers in a show of nervousness. "I believe you could learn to use magic, Frisk. Do you know why?"

They look up, hesitant.

"Because... I like to dance?" Their voice is small. Asgore nods.

"Yes. You know that monsters use dancing to resonate with their magic as well as the souls of other beings. You are special in more than just the strenght of your soul. You also have a connection to it through your ballet," the king explains, "You simply have to learn how to utilize that connection on your own."

They fiddle with their fingers, following their clumsy movements. It's a lot to consider. They can't help but cast their eyes to the light that still shines just below them. Is dancing with _that thing_ them using magic? It's so different from what they've seen monsters do.

Asgore pulls his paw away from their shoulder and they look up as he stands. The boss monster stretches his arms and yawns.

"It is starting to get late. Please do not stay out much longer, your mother will worry," Asgore instructs as he strides toward the doors. He pauses just by them. "And, Frisk... Think on what I said, please."

They give a soft nod, then avert their eyes again. They think he's about to leave, but he remains by the door, catching Frisk's attention anew. They see he's frowning as he looks down at the floor.

"Hmm... Strange. Am I forgetting something?" he half mumbles, but the human hears and flinches at the words. "Oh well."

The door closes and Frisk is left alone in the garden. Immediately, they sit straight and flick their gaze back to the light. It still beats like it has before, asking for their attention.

They stare at it for a long time before they get up to leave.

* * *

 _[A/N] Hit me up with your thoughts!_

 _rycorop: Thanks! I had fun writing them._


	5. Chapter 5

Frisk and Asriel are both tucked into bed by this time. Only a faint glow from a star-shaped nightlight illuminates the room and paints it a faint blue. It's plugged into an extension cord coming in under the door, by the foot of Asriel's bedframe.

The human shuffles under their blanket, trying to decide which of their sides would be more comfortable to sleep on. After rethinking their decision for the fifth time in short succession, and switching to face the wall again, similar stirring is heard from the opposite end of the room.

" _Mm...Frisk? Are you awake?"_ mumbles their brother sleepily and it sounds like he's moving to sit up. The bedsprings make a quiet noise and the blanket flops against itself like it's being folded in half.

With a guilty frown, Frisk opens their eyes and turns back onto their left side to meet Asriel's gaze. The goat monster is indeed sitting, his eyes sporting a vague question and arms resting on his lap over the blanket when the two exchange looks.

"Can't you sleep, or–" Asriel pauses to yawn and covers his mouth with one paw, "or did you have a bad dream?" he finishes. Frisk averts their eyes.

"Can't sleep," they admit meekly. Their brother hums in acknowledgement, but the gesture is followed by an unsure look toward their knees.

"Are you..." he starts reluctantly, then looks to the ceiling instead. He seems unwilling to face Frisk for the moment. "Are you thinking about the Surface...?" Asriel finally manages, though his voice is quieter than before.

The human's eyes widen in surprise. They suppose it shouldn't be shocking that Asriel is finally bringing up their previous home. After all, their parents have been trying to make subtle queries about Frisk's former life before. Still, it somehow catches them off guard, coming from him.

While the boss monster seems to have taken on a tense pose, Frisk finds themselves relaxing only a second later. A sad smile forms on their lips.

"No," they tell him softly, eyes on the floor.

It's Asriel's turn to show surprise when he turns to look at Frisk again. The speck of doubt remains for a few moments before he becomes more contemplative. His shoulders settle into an easier position.

"Oh... Then, what's wrong?" he asks instead, more willing. Yet, the human allows the silence to drag a bit longer in their own uncertainty.

"The yellow lights," Frisk begins, then nervously meets Asriel's confused eyes, "What are they?"

Their brother only knits his brows more, his frown deeper. He goes to rub at one of his eyes, like his sleepiness may be the reason Frisk's affair doesn't make sense. The confusion wears off when he recalls an instance of "yellow lights" and he lowers his hand, then turns to smile at Frisk.

"You mean the floating lights in Waterfall?" When their eyes widen a fraction and their mouth sets into a line, Asriel can tell he's assumed wrong. His confusion makes a full return. "You _don't_ mean those...?"

Frisk turns onto their stomach and pushes themselves up with their arms. They sit on their knees and face the empty wall before them. Maybe Asriel just hasn't been paying attention to them? But that doesn't make much sense. They are fairly noticeable.

"They're not just in Waterfall," Frisk says after a while, then turns to face their brother again, "But everywhere we've been."

The boss monster folds his blanket to the side and tosses his feet over the edge of his bed.

"Everywhere? I'm not sure what you mean, Frisk," he blinks, fully awake.

Their newly found worries are confirmed and they feel the muscles on their neck and shoulders tighten. They raise one hand to rub at their opposite arm guiltily. Frisk now knows they shouldn't have messed with that strange light.

"There's one in father's garden. I can show you," they suggest, then gesture toward their room door. Asriel follows their gaze and flinches.

"In the middle of the night? Mom and dad would... Be really worried if they found us missing," he quickly rejects the idea and rubs at the back of his neck.

"Y-you're right," Frisk suddenly realizes, their guilt having visibly increased. Asriel quietly winces at the sight of his regretful sibling and rushes to correct his mistake.

"It's okay! I'll come see it after breakfast tomorrow. For now, let's just try to get some sleep, alright?" he tries to say as soothingly as possible.

After a moment's hesitation, Frisk tries for a small smile and nods. Their brother is right and everything has been okay so far. And if it's not, they're sure they can figure it out the following day.

Asriel sighs as he relaxes and returns the human's faint smile.

"Goodnight," he says and pulls his legs back onto his mattress. Before he can start to tug his blanket back on, however, he pauses to look at Frisk again. "Hey, um... Do you think you'd fall asleep easier if we turned the light off?"

They consider it while their gaze lands to the glowing blue object in question. They've been sleeping with it on since moving into this room, but it's true it might be making things harder this time around. With that thought in mind, Frisk turns to nod at Asriel once more.

The latter smiles, but looks away at the same time, making the gesture seem insincere. He also doesn't make a move for the light, either.

The human waits a little longer before an amused snort escapes them. Asriel's face turns red, but still he doesn't utter a word. _So he_ is _scared of the dark._

The prince still wallows in his embarrasment when he hears the bedsprings on the other side of the room creak. At first they just think Frisk is lying down to sleep, but a moment later something enters his peripheral vision. As he's about to turn to look, something soft hits him on the upper arm and he jumps.

"Ah!" he shrieks, then covers his mouth with one hand and hopes that that sound isn't enough to wake their parents. He throws a fleeting glance toward the wall on the side of their bedroom, then looks to the item he's been tossed with. He finds it's Frisk's pillow, now lying beside him on the mattress.

In this time the ballet dancer has strode across the room, past the ballet shoes that hang from the corner pole of their bed and over the fuzzy, striped carpet. They crouch by the nightlight and catch Asriel's gaze, then throw him a smile, much warmer than the ones before.

At the reassuring sight of the human, the elder sibling feels a strange sense of relief.

"Frisk?" he still questions, though can't help his returning smile.

Frisk flicks off the light and the room is enveloped by complete darkness. The lines of their closet and dresser disappear with the rest of the space. The room in this unexpectedly ordinary house, considering their royal status, is covered in a sheet of unpenetrated black.

The human stands up and navigates by touch, palms sliding over the footboard of Asriel's bed. They make noises of abrasion when Frisk follows the feel of the cotton blend of their brother's sheets all the way up to their pillow.

"Make room for me," they ask quietly; For whatever reason, darkness always requires hushed voices to accompany it. They hear Asriel scooting over until he's by the gap between the bed and the wall, where they know two duck-shaped stuffed toys reside. Frisk moves their pillow by the headboard and accidentally bangs their knuckles on the wood with a quiet bang and a following " _Ow_."

With surprising fluidity, they climb next to Asriel and softly bump into his limbs a couple times. They're quick to establish their respective spaces as both lie down, then the elder sibling pulls the blanket over them. It's thick and warm, just like the one in Frisk's own bed.

"Thanks," Asriel says, only a bit above a whisper.

The remaining noise for a while is both of their slowing breathing. Then it's followed by more rustling when Frisk turns onto their side, facing away from their brother. Their eyelids start to feel heavy and soon close.

It's a whole different kind of silence when it's completely dark like this. It's almost like they could pretend the world doesn't exist outside their warm bubble.

It's no wonder that Asriel's voice is even quieter the next time he speaks.

"Hey..." He receives an acknowledging hum in response. "Why are you worried about some yellow lights?"

A beat of silence, then a sleepy mumble Asriel can barely make out:

"I'll tell you tomorrow..."

.

The next morning, the whole Dreemurr family is gathered at the breakfast table. They're having leftover snail pie from a few nights ago, before it can expire. When Toriel cooked it for dinner – at the time they had company over – she ended up making an excessive amount.

The sounds of cutlery decrease plate by plate as the family finishes their meals one by one. The plates are carried into the kitchen by Asriel and Frisk who, as usual, offer to do as much. Frisk has picked up the habit on their brother's example.

After dropping off the dishes, the pair stops by the opening between the kitchen and living room, where the dining table is. Or rather, Asriel stops and Frisk nearly runs into his back before they see what's happening and halt, too.

"Mom, dad?" the elder sibling starts to get their parents' attention, then turns to the only human with a questioning look.

Toriel and Asgore are casting expectant looks from their seats by the table, with the former doing a half-turn on her chair to view her children. Frisk stares at their brother, then averts their gaze and steps over to his side.

They know right away that this is about last night and fold their hands behind their back in a sheepish manner. Admittedly, they haven't expected Asriel to bring the matter up in front of their parents. But if they're being honest, it's probably the right thing to do.

"Is something wrong, my child?" asks the mother worriedly, brows knitted in that same concern. Asgore is more conservative with his reaction, a steady counterweight to his wife.

"Frisk told me something funny yesterday," Asriel begins, then turns to Frisk again as if to prod them to continue. Frisk clears their throat nervously when everyone's gazes fix onto them.

"There's something in the Royal Garden. A golden light," they tell, eyes flicking between both their parents. The adults glance at each other confusedly.

"Well, Cinnamon, why is that worriesome?" questions Toriel with her head slightly tilted. Asgore folds his arms over his chest, still silent as he waits for the children to elaborate.

Frisk bows their head and brings their hands in front of them to toy with their fingers. They take a small breath in preparation.

.

The effort proves wasted. Though Frisk points out precisely where they see the strange glinting light, no one else seems to be able to register it. At one point, the human makes their brother stand directly on top of it.

Nothing, but...

"Hey... Doesn't it kind of feel like we're forgetting something?"

* * *

 _[A/N] A shorter one, but I'm finally done with setup! Please let me know your thoughts~  
_

 _mallariebuckley: Thank you!_


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